The Glitch and the Hacker
by AlphaFallenOmega
Summary: Turbo was defeated and now Vanellope is the rightful ruler and a real racer, things are how they should be... So why is Sugar Rush so Gloomy? Vanellope has a secret that she is scared to tell. She avoids the other racers and rarely comes out of her Castle, only to race. Things only go downhill from there. There seems to be a trouble maker in the arcade... (Taff/Van)
1. Chapter 1

A week had passed since everyone's memories were restored... Well almost everyone's...

Everyone remembered who Vanellope truly was, they all felt guilty for treating her like they did. For fifteen long years they bullied her, abused her and tortured her. Turbo had reprogrammed them into doing so... The racers were plagued by guilt but when all was restored Vanellope forgave.

The other Ravers saw what they did as unforgivable, even though Turbo made them all believe that she was nothing more than a glitch, and that if she raced they would be unplugged... There was no excuse for how they treated her. But still, when it was all over... Vanellope only threw a joke at them... Nothing more. No punishment... No nothing. She did not even expect an apology.

When the poor girl was asked she only shook her head and said that it was all Turbo's doing. Not theirs, it was not their fault, they were only doing what they were told, and what they thought necessary to save Sugar Rush.

Most understood but still felt guilty and began to think of ways to make it up to their merciful leader.

Taffyta took it the hardest. She had been the leader of the torment. She was the one who seemed to get the most entertainment out of torturing the poor girl who was actually their princess. She did not want to be forgiven. She did not think that she deserved it.

Before Turbo took over Taffyta and Vanellope used to be the closest of friends, and now it seems as though things would never be the same.

Sure everyday they would race, they would see each other and they would greet each other and they would bid each other farewell until the next day. Even though everything was supposed to be back to normal now... It felt like something was still missing... Something big.

Taffyta knew that her friendship with Vanellope would need time to heal. That is if Vanellope still wanted to be friends after everything the strawberry themed character did.

Taffyta wanted to talk to her, talk to her about everything. The torment and abuse that she and the others did... It just could not be swept under the rug and forgotten so easily. She wondered just how Vanellope was dealing with knowing that all of her friends betrayed her like they did for fifteen years.

She was not seen much. Only for the races during the day when the arcade was open, and then the roster race. After that Vanellope would say goodbye and retreat back to her castle where she would stay alone until the next day.

Taffyta wondered why she wanted to be alone so much, but at the same time she could not blame her for not wanting to be around the people who had hurt her so badly.

* * *

Another day had ended and another roster race passed. Taffyta came in second where as Vanellope came in first. Taffyta crossed the finish line and had looked around in time to see Vanellope driving away from the race track and to her castle.

Taffyta sighed as she pulled out a lolly pop from her pocket before she stuck it in her mouth. She contemplated about following the dark haired girl and having that long over due talk that she should have had with her the first day they had got all their memories back. She rubbed the back of her neck and turned her head in time to see Candlehead making her way towards her.

Taffyta smiled and hopped out of her kart. "Hey." She greeted as Candlehead smiled back at her. "She didn't stay again." Candlehead said as she turned towards where Vanellope had went.

Taffyta sighed and leaned against her kart before she leaned her head back to look up at the cotton candy clouds. "Can you blame her...?" She said quietly after she pulled the lolly pop out of her mouth and twirled it in her fingers a few times. "I guess not... But..." Candlehead began as she twiddled her thumbs. Taffyta looked at her with a brow raised. "What?" She said a little harsher than she wanted to. Candlehead took in a shaky breath as she fought tears that were brought on by guilt. "I was hoping that we could all be friends again... Like we used to be... Before Turbo." She said as she bit her bottom lip. "Me too..." Taffyta said as she threw her candy to the ground in frustration.

Candlehead wiped a stray tear that had escaped away from her face quickly with the back of her hand before she slowly made her way to her own kart.

Taffyta watched her go before she turned her head towards Vanellope's castle. "Things will never be the same..." She said quietly as she climbed into her own kart. She started the engine but before she stepped on the gas she looked up again at the castle in the distance. Once again she felt the war that had been raging on inside her for a week. Half of her wanted to go to her, her other half wanted to run and hide.

She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against her steering wheel before she groaned in frustration and stepped on the gas. She turned the wheel sharply and began to drive towards the castle at full speed. She gritted her teeth together as her brow furrowed. "It needs to be done." She muttered as she shifted the gear.

The other racers looked up in time to see a cloud of dust where Taffyta used to be before they turned back to their own business... With clouds of guilt heavily hanging over their heads.

* * *

Vanellope made her way up to her room after Sour Bill greeted her. He asked if she needed anything but Vanellope just told him that she was tired and that she was going to her room.

When she was there she shut the door behind her and made her way over to a full body mirror that she stood in front of and looked at herself in frustration.

Vanellope saw herself staring back with the same frustrated look that haunted her face. "Ok, seriously! I don't get it." She said as she placed her hands on either side of the mirror. "What is going on!?" She said as she shook her head. "Sure things are better, I am not getting pushed around anymore but something is still missing." She said to herself as she began to pace around the room.

Finally she ended up in front of her bed that she flopped herself down on with a frustrated groan before she turned her head to look out the window at the cotton candy sky. She sighed and sat up.

She sat there for a few seconds before she made her way over to the window and sat down on a chair that was not too far away from it. There she sat down and continued to stare at the sky. She placed her elbow on the armrest and rested her chin on the palm of her hand as she looked at Sugar Rush from the window. "Everyone else got their memories back... Why didn't I...?" She said with a sad sigh.

The only memories she had where of the ones that Turbo had caused. The bullying, the abuse and the name Glitch that she seemed to be branded with. Taffyta still called her that when she saw her. Vanellope knew it was not to be mean or anything... It was Taffyta's way of trying to joke with her. Vanellope would smile but that was it.

Vanellope felt like if she would become friends with everyone it would be like lying. They said they wanted things to be like they were before Turbo... But how could that be if Vanellope couldn't remember what it was like before... She didn't want to be a liar... She just couldn't do it... For a week now she has been trying to get her memories back... She tired simply waiting, thinking that maybe her's just needed a little time to load... But then she realized that, that was not the case...

Vanellope had the Code of the game locked up tight so that no one would ever be able to tamper with it again... Now she wonder's... If... Maybe her code was permanently damaged... She would never be the same.

She kind of got that idea when she realized that she still glitched even after the game was reset. She made it seem as though it was her choice and laughed it off in front of Ralph... But actually... She was scared, she was frustrated, she was confused. Sure the game reset, she was now a racer. Everyone said that she was the rightful ruler. Everything was the way it was supposed to be... So why was something as vital as her memories still missing. She didn't understand.

She groaned and buried her face into her hands. She felt the familiar buzz of a glitch run through her causing blue static to consume her for a split second. When Turbo tried to delete her... He must have done more damage than she thought... Leaving her like this...

How was she going to tell everyone? Everything was just getting better... But there was still a gloomy feeling that plagued Sugar Rush.

She could see that all of the other Racer's were clinging onto the memories that they had before Turbo took over... It would break their hearts knowing that Vanellope lacked those said memories.

She could see the guilt that hung over everyone's heads, telling them that she had no happy memories of them would make things worse.

She raised her head and looked out her window before she blinked a couple of times. She took a breath and finally decided what she should do. She was going to go see Ralph... Maybe he could help...

She hopped off her chair and made her way over to her door. But before she reached for the doorknob she turned and looked out the window one last time and sighed. Sugar Rush really was gloomy at the moment...


	2. Chapter 2

Bonding Like The Old Times

* * *

Vanellope ran out of her room and down the hall. Sour bill jumped back in surprise when he nearly ran right into her. "Princess!?" He said scrambling to try and keep up with her fast pace. "Oh hi Sour Bill." Vanellope said, not bothering to slow her pace. "I'm going out for a bit, but I should be back soon." She said when she reached her garage where she kept her beloved Kart. She could not help but to smile when she saw both her and Ralph's name on the side of it. "Where are you going?" Bill asked urgently.

They had just got their rightful ruler back and Sour bill was not about to give her up so easily. He thought of himself as both her first line of defense and her last. Vanellope turned to him with a brow raised. "To see my friends." She said before she hopped into her Kart. She pulled on her goggles and smiled as she started the kart. Hearing the roar of the engine was almost too good to be true.

She was about to step on the gas and bolt out of the garage when Sour Bill hopped in front of her. She squealed in surprise and instantly stopped her foot from touching the pedal. "Bill!? Did you drink some bad chocolate milk or something!?" She said with wide eyes as she pulled her goggles up and looked at him. He had his hands on the front of her Kart, keeping her from moving. "Princess please!" He begged.

Vanellope sighed and slouched in her seat. "You have been acting so strange." Sour Bill said as he lifted his hands from her Kart. "Strange?" Vanellope said with a chuckle as she pinched the bridge of her nose. All she wanted to do at the moment was go and see Ralph and the others. It felt like it had been forever since she had last seen him. Part of her just wanted to just see him and the other part of her hoped that he could help her with her little problem that she seemed to be having. Or maybe Felix could help her, maybe whacking her over the head with his magic hammer would be what she needed.

"You barely leave the castle, you don't talk with the other racers, sure you race but some of the others have been saying that you look as though you are distracted." He said trying to get through to her.

Vanellope forced a laugh. "Oh Billy." She said using the nickname that she gave him. "It has been fifteen years since I have raced with the other racers remember? I'm..." She paused for a second as she tried to think of the right words. "I'm still getting used to not being the outcast anymore... Besides... I'm going out now." She said with a smile as she pointed to the open garage door.

Bill's mouth hung open for a second as if he was going to say something more before he turned to look out the door then back towards her. "Um... Ok..." He said as he took a step back as he rubbed his hands together. "Just... Ok..." He tried again as he watched as Vanellope started her engine and speed out of the Garage.

She needed to get out of there, she needed to get out from under the watchful eyes of Bill and all of the guards. They seemed to be very worried about her. But she understood why. Everyone felt as though they failed their princess when Turbo took over. She stressed that it was not their faults... She sighed as she felt her stomach turn. "If they found out..." She muttered as she shook her head. "They can't know..." She said quietly as she shifted her gear.

She was rounding a corner and about to make her way over the bridge and away from the castle when another Kart came out of nowhere. She screamed in surprise and slammed on her breaks as she cranked her wheel in a random direction in an attempt to avoid colliding into them.

She closed her eyes and gripped the wheel tight enough to burn her palms and turn her knuckles white.

Her Kart finally came to a complete stop and only after a moment did she open her eyes to see that she was still alive. She took several deep breaths and clutched her chest where her rapidly beating heart was as she released a chuckled. "I'm alive?" She said as she looked around rapidly. "HA! I'm alive!" She said as she tilted her head back. "Vanellope!"

The surprised green racer raised her head and looked around in time to see a Pink racer whip off her strawberry themed helmet, throw it to the ground and hop out of her Kart before she came rushing over. "Vanellope! Speak to me!" Taffyta screamed when she stood beside Vanellope's kart.

Vanellope blinked a few times before she chuckled. "I think that is the first sentence you have said to me that didn't have the word Glitch in it." Vanellope said as she undid her seat belt and hopped out of her Kart.

A look of guilt spread across Taffyta's face as she bit her bottom lip. It was true. Since Turbo, Taffyta always seemed to call Vanellope, Glitch, it was Not to be mean or anything it was just habit.

Taffyta shook her head when she heard Vanellope's shoes hit the ground. "Are you ok or not?" Taffyta snapped worriedly. Vanellope blinked a few times as she looked down at herself. She was about to answer Taffyta when she heard Multiple shoes hitting the candy coated ground. "Princess!? Are you alright?"

Vanellope tilted her head back and closed her eyes. "Oreo guards..." She muttered under her breath. They had seen everything. It didn't make matters better knowing that they were overly protective as well. "I'm Alright." Vanellope called, hoping that her voice would be enough to stop them from coming and checking on her.

If she knew them well enough by now she would think that they would make her stay in the hospital for the night just to be sure that she was ok. "Princess? Are you sure? We can fetch the medic." Vanellope faced the handful of guards that were now standing an arms length away from her. "I'm fine." Vanellope said. "Should we take this one to the Fungeon?" Vanellope raised a brow and turned to see Duncan and Wynchel towering over a frightened looking Taffyta.

"What?" Vanellope said as she looked at Duncan as he held his baton as if he was ready to use it. "No!" Vanellope said as she waved her hand at them dismissively when she saw the scared look on Taffyta's face. "It was just an accident and besides, Nothing happened!" She said to them.

Duncan and Wynchel looked at each other for a moment before they stepped back. Vanellope turned to the Oreo guards to see them still standing there. "Go back to what you were doing, really we are both fine." She said with a forced smile.

It was a few moments before Vanellope and Taffyta were left alone.

Taffyta released a breath that she had been holding. 'You have every right to send me to the fungeon after the way I treated you...' She thought to herself as she leaned against Vanellope's kart. "Are you ok?" Vanellope asked her worriedly as she wrung her hands together. "I am fine." Taffyta said as she looked down towards her shoes.

Vanellope bit her bottom lip as she watched Taffyta for a few seconds. "I'm sorry." Vanellope said causing Taffyta to look up within a spit second after she heard the two words. "They are a little bit protective since... Well yeah..." Vanellope said as she kicked at the ground and stuffed her hands into her hoodie pocket. 'Why are you apologizing? You should not be Apologizing!' Taffyta's mind screamed in frustration. "Of course they are!" Taffyta snapped as she furiously pushed herself away from Vanellope's kart to stand in front of her Princess. Vanellope flinched slightly as Taffyta stood in front of her. The Strawberry racer was slightly taller than her.

"They should be protective!" Taffyta snapped as she poked Vanellope in the shoulder. " After what happened with Turbo! After everything they did, after everything we all did..." Taffyta trailed off and looked towards the ground. Venellope looked at her and bit her bottom lip before she sighed. "Awe Taffyta! Are you still going on about that?" Vanellope chuckled. "Come on, it's done and over with." Vanellope said as she placed her hands on the girl's shoulders.

Taffyta looked up at her and looked as though she was about to say something. But Vanellope took a step back and crossed her arms over her chest with a smug look on her face. "Nope! I don't wanna hear it!" Vanellope said. "No more apologies! I am serious! If I hear one more 'I'm Sorry' I swear my head is going to explode!" Vanellope said as she brought her hands up to her head for a second before she allowed them to drop to her sides.

Taffyta nodded slightly, apologizing was one of the reasons why she came there. Sure everyone else already did... But since Turbo was defeated Taffyta had barely even talked to Vanellope unless it had to do with their races. Usually it was competitive chirps that there were basically programed to say to each other during a race. So truthfully speaking... Taffyta was probably the only one in sugar rush who had not apologized to Vanellope.

Taffyta felt frustrated and ran her hands through her hair as she shifted her weight from one foot to another. "Well..." Vanellope said with a soft chuckle. It was plain to see that Taffyta was at a complete loss of words. So instead of allowing the situation to become awkward Vanellope thought it would be best to end the encounter. "I'm probably interrupting your drive..." Vanellope said as she pointed to her Kart with her thumb. She really wanted to go see Ralph...

"No wait." Taffyta said as she reached for her but stopped half way. Her fingers curled into her hand until it was a loose fist. "Um..." She started as she bit her lower lip. Vanellope stood there waiting to hear what she had to say. "I actually came here to see you." She blurted out as she dropped her hand to her side.

Simply coming over to the castle just to see Vanellope was something that she had not done since before Turbo took over. "You did?" Vanellope asked surprised. Taffyta looked at the shocked expression on Vanellope's face. It seemed like it had been too long since she and her simply hung out... Maybe it had been too long and now she was too late. "Yeah." Taffyta said with a nod. "I just thought... Maybe we could hang out or something." She said quickly. "I thought we could be friends... Just like we used to be." She said with a soft chuckle.

Vanellope blinked a couple of times before she bit her lower lip. 'Used to be?' Vanellope's mind repeated. 'I don't remember what used to be was...' She thought to herself sadly.

Taffyta watched as so many expressions played across the slightly shorter girl's face. She couldn't blame her at all. After all the abuse... Taffyta had proven to be a really lousy friend. Taffyta shook her head and scratched the back of her neck. "You know what..." She began. "This was stupid..." She said as she looked everywhere but Vanellope. She took a breath and shook her head again. "After everything... I don't blame you for not wanting to be friends..." Taffyta said sadly. "Things... They will never be the same as they were before... I don't deserve it..." She said as she began to turn.

Vanellope's eyes widened. "No wait!" Vanellope squeaked as she grabbed the pink racer's arm, gently forcing her to turn back around so that she could see her. Vanelope could not help but to glitch slightly in the process. She cursed herself silently for not being completely in control of the glitching. It seemed it reacted with her emotions... And at that moment Vanellope had so many emotions playing around inside her. They were not a very good combination when they were mixed with her glitching.

Taffyta saw her glitch and it made her heart ache slightly as she remembered the time not so long ago when she pushed her into a puddle of chocolate milk. 'You will never be a racer! Because you're a Glitch! And that is all you will ever be!' Those words bounced around inside her head making her feel even worse. How could she ever say that...? Why did she say that...?

"Do you want to... Go for a walk?" Vanallope asked with a weak smile as her face blushed as she prayed for the small chance that Taffyta did not see her glitch.

'Its a start.' Taffyta thought to herself as she nodded. "Yeah." She said with a smile.

They took a few moments to Park their Karts in front of the castle before Vanellope and Taffyta began to walk around the Castle grounds. "It's been forever since I have wondered around the castle." Vanellope laughed as they walked into what looked like a garden. She didn't recognize any of it, so far the only parts that she had seen since everything was made 'right' was the front of the castle the throne room and her own room. But she was not about to let Taffyta know...

"What? Do you forget were everything is?" Taffyta teased her. Vanellope gave a nervous chuckle and didn't look at her. "I guess it's been that long..." Vanellope said as she looked at the candy flowers. "Oh." Taffyta said quietly. The strawberry racer thought for a couple of seconds as she watched Vanellope look around with a blank expression on her face. Then a thought came into Taffyta's head that made her smile. "Why don't I give you a tour around the castle?" Taffyta said with a laugh.

Vanellope smiled at her. "I think you might have to." She said with a laugh of her own. "Never did I think I would have to give the Princess a tour around her own castle!" Taffyta said teasingly. "But hey it gives us something to do." She said as she took Vanellope's hand in her own. "Well this is the garden... I'm sure that is obvious." She said as she pulled her along.

Vanellope shook her head and chuckled slightly. Taffyta seemed to be enjoying herself. They went all around the castle. Vanellope was surprised when she even saw that there was a dock with some boats too, there she could see the sun was beginning to set. It was actually very pretty.

"We used to hang out all the time around here." Taffyta said as she pointed to the dock. "Do you remember the time you fell in?" She asked as she turned to Vanellope with a smile on her face. Vanellope laughed as she looked at the chocolatey substance. One word came to mind. "Sticky." She said with a chuckle. "You got that right, you showered for like a hour and still you couldn't seem to get clean." She said as she pulled Vanellope along once more.

They walked passed a massive graveyard. Vanellope guessed it was not only meant for her Royal family but also the people of sugar rush. It looked as if it was pretty old too. Probably the way it was programed.

By the time Taffyta was just about done showing her around it was the middle of the night. Vanellope guessed it was probably too late to go and see Ralph so she decided to leave it until tomorrow. She felt so bad, she didn't want to be liar but at the same time she didn't want to make people feel bad by telling them that she could not remember the good times.

"And of course this is you're room." Taffyta said as they walked in through the door. "I'm sure that you already know that." Taffyta said with a chuckle when she let go of Vanellope's hand before she turned around to see her. Vanellope chuckled. "Shouldn't be too hard to remember." She joked as she walked over to her bed here she hopped up and sat on the edge of it. "I donno..." Taffyta said sarcastically. "I mean this place is pretty big, you could probably build a race track or maybe even two in this place!" She said laughing as she sat down beside Vanellope. "Careful! Don't give me any ideas." Vanellope said as she pushed her playfully.

Taffyta smiled at her for a second before her eyes flew passed Vanellope's shoulder. "Hey..." She said with a laugh before she jumped off the bed and made her way over to the window excitedly. "It's been so long since I have seen this view..." Taffyta said as she made her way over to the window that Vanellope had been staring out more often than she had been racing that week.

Vanellope slid off the bed and made her way over to her. "I remember convincing you to put a table and two chairs in front of it so you and I could look out this window when I came by to see you." Taffyta said as she rested her hands on the windowsill. "It's my favorite view in all of Sugar Rush." She said with a soft chuckle.

Vanellope bit her bottom lip as she looked down at her hands, feeling guilty. She wished she could remember that, she wished she could remember everything just like everyone else. She hated lying to her but she just didn't have the heart to tell her that she has somehow been stripped off all those good times. 'First thing after the arcade closes tomorrow... I must go see Ralph! He will know what to do!' She told herself as Taffyta turned around to look at her with a sad look on her face. "Looks like Turbo did away with them though." She said as she shook her head. For a spit second Vanellope thought that Taffyta was talking about her memories but then she realized she was actually talking about the table and chairs. "I'm sure they are around this place somewhere." Vanellope said looking around and wondering just where Turbo would hide a table and chair set.

Taffyta looked around Vanellope's room. "It looks like Turbo did away with many other things as well..." She said with a sigh.

Vanellope's heart quickened. She prayed that Taffyta wouldn't say anything that would make her have to say what exactly was missing. Because she couldn't tell her.

Vanellope looked around the room as she brought one of her hands up to her mouth for her to bit on her thumbnail nervously. She felt a glitch run through her and she closed her eyes until the faint blue glow was gone. When she reopened them Taffyta was staring at her with a worried expression on her face.

Vanellope dropped her hand and chuckled. "I guess a lot has changed hasn't it." At least she was not lying when she said that. "It has..." Taffyta said as she made her way back over Vanellope's bed where she hoped up and sat down. She looked at Vanellope for a few seconds before she patted the spot beside her. "I have something for you." Taffyta said as Vanellope sat down beside her. Vanellope raised a brow. "What is it?" Vanellope asked. "Close you're eyes!" Taffyta said as she pointed at her with a serious look on her face. Vanellope sighed and did as she was told.

She listened to the sound of Taffyta digging into her pocket. "Keep them closed." Taffyta said as she took hold of Vanellope's wrist.

Vanellope felt her wrap something around her wrist. It was not too tight and not too loose. "Ok..." Taffyta said as she made sure what ever she just tied onto her wrist was not going to fall off anytime soon. "Open them up." She said as she pulled away from Vanellope's wrist.

Vanellope looked down at her wrist to see a friendship bracelet made out of hard candy wrapped around her wrist. She ran her finger over the candies and found a small picture of a strawberry on one of the candies. It was a combination of white and red. Vanellope looked back up at Taffyta and smiled. Taffyta had been biting her lower lip nervously. "Do you like it?" She asked. "Are you kidding?" Vanellope laughed. "I love it!" She said as she threw her arms around Taffyta's neck and hugged her.

After she pulled away Taffyta laughed and shook her head. "I gave you one before King- I mean Turbo..." She said as she looked down at her hands. "I don't know what happened to it so I made you a new one." She said with a laugh. "I wanted to give it to you a few days ago but... You never stuck around after the races long enough for me to do it." Taffyta said gently. Vanellopy bit her lower lip and looked away.

Vanellope looked down at her wrist once again feeling guilty. She would have never known. She wondered if she had made one for the strawberry racer before everything. "I will never take it off." Vanellope said as she stuck her tongue out at Taffyta playfully. "Ha! You better not!" Taffyta said as she punched Vanellope in the arm playfully.

They visited for a little while longer before Taffyta hopped off her bed. "This was nice, just hanging out like we used to." Taffyta said with a smile. "It was." Vanellope agreed. "I think it's really late now though... I should grab my Kart and head home now and get some sleep before the arcade opens." She laughed.

Vanellope hopped off the bed. "Good idea... I left my Kart out there too, I will come with you." She said before they made their way out of her room and through the massive castle.

"See you tomorrow." Taffyta said as she pulled her hat on. "You better be ready to race, Glitch because I'm not going to go easy on you!" She laughed before she sped off. Vanellope laughed as she walked over to her own kart.

She was about to hop in when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. "Huh?" She hummed as she turned towards the garden. Her brow furrowed.

For a split second she thought she saw someone standing at the entrance to the garden. "Hello? Is anyone there?" Vanellope called out. All she heard was the echo of her own voice, nothing else. "Weird..." She said as she felt a chill run up her back. There was no way someone would be able to get passed all the Oreo guards. With how protective they were it was next to impossible for anyone to get anywhere near the castle without being shot with a million and one questions... And maybe a spear or two.

She hopped into the drivers seat as paranoia threatened to take over. She started her engine and didn't wait before she sped into the Garage. She turned in time to see the doors locking securely behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief before she hopped out of her kart. "Must see Ralph tomorrow..." She muttered thinking that maybe all the stress of keeping her little secret was starting to get to her...

Little did she know was there was a unknown being trespassing into Sugar Rush...


	3. Chapter 3

Vanellope gritted her teeth as she gripped her steering wheel. She was driving though the coldest part of Sugar Rush. She made a mental note to get herself some gloves. She could barely feel her fingers. The icy wind nipped at her nose as she pressed her foot further down onto the gas. Her Kart sped up even more. She knew that the finish line was not too far off now. She just needed to make it past the deep freeze.

She could hear the roar of Taffyta's engine behind her, followed by Candlehead and the rest of the racers. It was a close one but Vanellope was determined to come out on top.

When she finally reached a straight stretch of road she could almost instantly feel the change in temperature. She could see the finish line in the distance. She smiled to herself.

Her eyes glanced down to her hands for a split second as she wiggled them a little bit as the feeling returned. As she did so her caught sight of the bracelet that Taffyta had given her.

She felt an odd, unfamiliar feeling in the pit of her stomach, along with the guilt that has been plaguing her for a while now. "Must go see Ralph." She said through clenched teeth as she looked towards the finish line. "Come on! Is that all you got!?" Vanellope whipped her head to the side in time to see that Taffyta had managed to find a power up and was now zooming by her with a boost. "Come on slow poke! Last one there is a rotten chocolate egg!" The blond racer laughed. "Oh no you don't!" Vanellope laughed as she swerved on the road to hit a power up, but as soon as her Kart drove through it she looked up to see a dark blurry figure standing in the middle of the road, right in the path of her Kart!

Vanellope screamed in fright and cranked her wheel to the left to avoid hitting them. She yelped as her Kart went off the road and hit a lollypop tree. "Oh no!" She cried as she covered her head as her Kart flipped over a couple of times. Eventually the Kart came to a stop with her under it. Vanellope didn't even wait, she managed to scramble out from under the mess with only minor scrapes and bruises. But at the moment the only thing that was on her mind was the person who had been standing in the middle of the racetrack. "Where..?" She muttered as she rubbed the back of her head after she pulled her goggles off.

She looked around and was surprised when she didn't find the dark figure anywhere. She placed her hands on top her her head as confusion took over. "I know you were there..." She muttered as she continued to look around for a few seconds. Then her eyes widened as she remembered just where she was. "Holy Monkey Milk!" She squealed as she ran back to her Kart and began to push. But it was just too heavy. She sighed and leaned against it with a frustrated grunt. She would need help to flip it back over... So for the first time... Vanellope came in last.

She leaned her forehead against her Kart. She would have to wait until the race was done before it would regenerate and repair itself. "Great." She muttered as she turned back around and pressed her back against her Kart. She slid down and sat on the ground with her elbows on her knees and her head resting in her hands. She had a slight headache but she guessed that it was because of her little accident. She knew that there was no way that Sour Bill would let her get away without staying in the Candy Hospital until morning.

She groaned again at the thought of not being able to go and see Ralph again! Last night was not so bad. In fact she quite enjoyed visiting with Taffyta... But she really needed to go and see Ralph...

She listened to the sound of the other racers zooming by. She knew that there was no way that the mess that was her Kart would go unnoticed by them as they drove by. She knew that her Kart would repair itself, the only thing that seemed to be really damaged at the moment was her dignity.

* * *

Taffyta crossed the finish line with the biggest smile on her face. She listened to the crowed of candy spectator's roar to life. This was the first time in a very long time she had actually won a race. She nor did any of the other racers actually win against Turbo.

Since Vanellope took back her rightful spot as ruler Taffyta knew that it was only a matter of time before she would win a race. Before Turbo Taffyta and Vanellope were always neck in neck. Back then no one knew who was going to win. Taffyta or Vanellope. It was always a surprise. And every now and then one of the other racers would sneak up and surprise everyone. It was never boring.

Taffyta turned around in her seat expecting to see Vanellope cross the finish line... However Vanellope was nowhere in sight. Her brow furrowed when she saw all of the other racers cross without her. "Where...?" Taffyta muttered as she looked around confused.

Candlehead drove up beside her and slammed on her breaks with an alarmed look on her face. "Candlehead, where's Vanellope?" Taffyta asked the wide eyed girl. Candlehead frantically pointed back towards the racetrack they had just been on. "She drove off the road!" Candlehead yelled. "Right into the Lollypop trees!" She said quickly. "What!?" Taffyta said worriedly as she looked back at the track, praying that Candlehead was wrong. "Taffyta! I think she might be hurt!" Candlehead panicked.

"She's telling the truth!" Rancis said as she ran up to them. "I saw the whole thing! I think she lost control or something and boom! Right off the track!" He said as she pointed down the road. "Her Kart rolled a few times too!" He said nervously. "I wonder what could have happened." Gloyd said as he walked over as well.

"She's not coming... I'm going to go check on her!" Taffyta said as she spun back around in her seat before she started her engine. "Call the medics!" She yelled before she sped of back down the track. "Please, please be ok." She said through clenched teeth as she sped down the road at break neck speed. Soon enough there was Vanellope's Kart upside down with a mess of what used to be Lollypop Trees behind it.

Taffyta felt her stomach clenched uncomfortably. "Looks painful." She muttered as she drew closer to the accident.

There she was. Sitting on the ground beside her Kart with her head in her hands was Vanellope. "She's alive." Taffyta sighed in relief as she drove up. She hopped out of her Kart and ran over to her. "Vanellope!" She yelled causing the girl to instantly look up and over to her. "Taffyta." She laughed nervously.

"What were you thinking!?" Taffyta spat, suddenly feeling very frustrated. Vanellope blinked a few times. Taffyta scrunched her nose up in anger. "You drove off the road! Everyone saw you! One minute you were on the road and the next everyone saw you turn off of it! Right into the trees!" She said as she pointed back at what used to be Lollypop trees. "Hey!?" Vanellope said when she realized what Taffyta was trying to say. "I didn't do it on purpose!" Vanellope yelled back. "There was someone on the road!" She said as she pointed to where she saw the dark figure.

Taffyta's face melted from anger to something else. "Someone on the road?" She questioned as she turned and looked around. "Did you see who it was?" She asked a little hesitantly when she didn't see any trace of someone on the road... And if there had been she knew no one would just walk away, leaving Vanellope alone out here.

"Uhh..." Vanellope thought for a moment before she shook her head, sending a wave of pain through her skull. "No..." She said as she brought a hand up to her forehead. "I didn't recognize them, I was too busy trying not to delete them with my Kart." She said as she looked around. "Oh." Taffyta nodded slowly.

Taffyta looked around for a few more seconds before she turned back to Vanellope with a sigh. "Vanellope..." She began as she heard the sound of sirens in the distance. "I think you should sit down." Taffyta said as she made her way to beside her princess. "Why?" Vanellope said stubbornly. "Because I think you might have hit your head." Taffyta answered her honestly. "What is that supposed to mean?" Vanellope spat. "You think I drove off the road on purpose!?" She said as Taffyta helped her sit down. "Taffyta, someone was there, I know there was! I saw them." Vanellope said as she sat against her Kart with her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest.

Taffyta sighed as she sat beside the injured racer. "I am not saying that no one was there, right now I'm telling you that I think you hit you're head because..." Taffyta paused so she could gently poke a black and blue bruise that was slowly beginning to develop on the side of her head where her temple was. "You have a bruise right here." Taffyta said as Vanellope winced slightly. "Do you have a headache?" Taffyta asked her. "But..." Vanellope tried. "No buts!" Taffyta stopped her. "Do you have a headache or not!?" Taffyta asked sharply. "Yeah..." Vanellope said with a defeated sigh before she placed her elbow on her knee and rested her chin in the palm of her hand as she listened to the sounds of sirens growing louder.

* * *

Out in the Arcade...

"Chad hurry up!" A teenager with a dark hoodie looked around as his name was called by one of his friends. "Yeah, yeah I heard you the first time, John." He muttered as he walked between a row of arcade games. "Good." Said John as he stood in front of Sugar Rush. "Why don't we try this one first..." John said as he pointed to the pink racing game with his thumb. "I don't know." Chad said as he looked around casually. "There are a lot of eyes in here..." He said as he pulled his black hood over his head to hide his face. "What are you? Chicken?" John laughed as he sat in one of the seats.

Chad took one last look around before he sat in the seat beside John. "So what exactly are we doing." Chad asked his companion. "We are not going to let Mr. Litwak get away with what he did." John laughed as he put in some quarters to start the game. "Good." Chad said with a laugh.

About a month ago Chad and his friends had been kicked out and banned permanently from the arcade. He had been more than lenient with them. He caught them steeling money out of the machines more than once, finally he banned them for good. Now they are looking for revenge.

"Hehe... Look at this one, new character." Chad said as he picked the unfamiliar green racer. "Her stats are pretty good..." He said as he looked over to John as he picked one of the male characters. "Yeah, yeah." John sighed as he pulled a piece of gum out of his mouth and stuck it to the underside of his seat. "Watch and learn, doesn't matter what the stats say... I will always beat you." John said with a laugh before the race started.

They raced a few rounds before John sat back in his chair with a smug look on his face. "What the hell happened?" Chad said as his screen blanked out and went to the main start screen. He hit his steering wheel before he turned to look at John who was wearing a smug look on his face. "What?..." Chad was about to ask but then his eyes widened for a second. Then he grinned. "What did you do...?" He asked with a chuckled.

John laughed darkly as he pulled out a small USB stick from his pocket. "I used this when you were not looking." He said as he threw it up and caught it. "Does this game even have a USB port?" Chad asked him as he looked around the game. "I didn't think it did, I looked it up last night... And... It turns out..." John said as he looked around causally to make sure no one was looking before he leaned forward and placed his hand on the coin slot between the seats. "They do." He said with a laugh as his hand went lower, almost to the ground where a hidden latch was hiding. He flipped it open and there it was. A USB slot. "Sweet." Chad said quietly. "I know right." John laughed. "And I figured... If it has a USB slot I can throw a few of our viruses into the game and maybe that will throw a wrench into the old man's profit." He said with a laugh. "Maybe even put him out of business." John said as he passed Chad the stick.

"Yeah." Chad with with a nod. "Throw us out of the arcade will ya? Ha! Well then minds well throw him out of a job." Chad said as he examined the memory stick. "So what virus is this?" Chad asked him.

"That one is special... I have been working on it for years... I think that it's time to put it to use." He said as he took the sick from Chad. "I call him... The Black Death." John said as he held the memory stick as if it was his most prized possession. "Him?" Chad asked. John nodded. "You see this is not just a normal virus... It... He talked to me through my computer, he could travel from my computer, to my tv all through out my house. He's really cool" John said with a smile. "He started out as a simple chess game." John said with a laugh. "It was only this year I perfected him." John explained. "But if you leave him here..." Chad began but John raised his hand to stop him. "Ah, I already thought of that." John said as he pulled the top off the memory stick. "I can communicate with him from my laptop." John said with a smile. "Sweet." Chad said with a nod. "I know." John said as he bent down and shoved the USB stick into the slot before he shut the latch. "And no one will ever know." John said with a laugh. "But this is just one game." Chad said confused.

John stopped him again. "This is his most popular game." John said as he cracked his knuckles but... But you're right, not his only one." John said with a nod. "That was what I have been working on all weekend. You see Black Death can travel all throughout my house. I took that idea and I made it so he will start with this game, but when he is done here he will travel up through the cords... To the main space-bar... To all the other games... He will spread like a plague on steroids. " John chuckled. "The old man should have known that he should not have connected all the games to one source of power."

John said as he hopped out of his seat and onto the ground. "How long will it take." Chad asked him as he got out of his own seat. "I guess a week maybe two tops." John said with a shrug. "But we can't be too sure, but it will happen in time." John said as he started to make his way towards the door. He too pulled his black hood over his head when he spotted Mr. Litwak not too far off.

"For now." John started as they walked through the doors and to the outside. "We keep tabs with my laptop and my computers... It will take a bit of time for Death to get into the game... We will know when he does." John said as he got onto his bike. "Good." Chad said with a laugh. "He will never know what hit him." John promised. "He better not." Chad said in a low voice. "I hope you are right when you say that you are the worlds best hacker, John." Chad said as he got on his own bike. "Ha! Oh please! Not even close!" John said as he looked at Chad. "I am The God of Technology." He said before he took off towards his house with Chad not too far behind.


	4. Chapter 4

Vanellope laid in the hospital bed with her arms crossed stubbornly cover her chest and her head wrapped in a white bandage. The doctor said that she had a concussion. When the doctor asked her how it happened Vanellope just told him that she couldn't remember. She figured that no one was going to believe her about the dark figure anyways.

She sighed and turned onto her side in defeat. She looked up and out the window to see that it was dark outside now. She remembered the figure and was happy that she was in the hospital which seemed to always have some sort of light on, but at the same time the hospital was where she did not want to be. She wanted to go see Ralph.

She heard a knock on the door and closed her eyes as her brow furrowed. She had said that she didn't want to see anyone. She clenched her teeth as she hoped that they would think that she was sleeping and would just go away. But as she heard the footsteps enter the room she realized that they simply would not just walk away. "I don't know Ralph, she looks exhausted... Maybe you should just let her rest." Vanellope's eyes snapped open and she instantly sat up when she realized who it was. "Ralph?" She said as she looked up to see Mr. Wreck It himself. The lollypop doctor had escorted him to her room "Hey there kid." Ralph said with a smile. "Ralph!" She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"I heard about you're accident and thought you would like some company." Ralph said. "How's you're head?" Ralph asked as he sat down, his chair creaked a little bit making Vanellope wonder if it would collapse. "Hurts a little." Vanellope said as she ran her hands over her face. "The doctor said you have a concussion." Ralph said carefully. Vanellope nodded slowly as she was reminded about her pounding headache that refused to leave her alone. "They won't let me sleep through the night." She said with a pout. "They keep waking me up." She finished as she crossed her arms over her chest with a stubborn look on her face.

Ralph chuckled gently. "Well they need to do that to make sure that you actually wake up." He said as he rubbed his hands together. "It's usually what they do to everyone who has a concussion." He finished. Ralph paused for a moment and allowed silence to fill the room until he raised a eyebrow. "So I have been told that you simply drove off the road." He said as he tilted his head to the side slightly.

Vanellope blinked a couple of times before she dropped her hands onto her lap with a sigh. "Ralph..." She said quietly. Ralph instantly began to worry. It was not too often you heard Vanellope use that tone. She was usually a very happy, hyper, and upbeat girl. Her using this tone meant that something was very wrong.

"What is it Vanellope?" He asked worriedly as he jumped to his feet. "Are the other racers bullying you again? If they are I swear-" He didn't get to finish his sentence before he was interrupted by Vanellope's voice. "No! Ralph! It's nothing like that!" She said as she waved her hands at him. "I promise! No one is Bullying me!" She said, trying to calm his worried mind.

Ralph remained on his feet as he waited to hear what Vanellope had to say. "Umm..." She said as she bit her lower lip. Her eyes slowly traveled from him to the open door of her room. "Could you... Close that?" She asked him as she pointed to the door. Ralph turned his head towards the door with a raised eyebrow before he made his way over towards it. He used one of his massive hands to gently push the door shut. He had to be careful with how much force he used. Sometimes he forgot that he was very strong, and with everything but the clothes in this world being made of candy he had to be extra careful.

When the door was closed he stood at the end of Vanellope's bed as he waited to hear what it was that was making Vanellope so nervous. "I have been lying to everyone." She said as she lowered her head, refusing to look up at her best friend. "Lying?" Ralph asked her as he carefully sat down on the edge of her bed. "What do you mean?" He asked her.

Vanellope took several deep breaths that made her chest heave in and out. Maybe it was her concussion that was making her panic, or maybe what the doctor gave her to help her with the headache, but what ever it was she wasn't sure. All she knew was she was in complete panic mode.

"Everyone remembers how things were before Turbo took over! They say that they want things to go back to how they were! They are all trying to act like nothing ever happened, like Turbo had not taken over at all! They are all going by what they remember, Like the memories they got back when I crossed the finish line. Even Taffyta is being Nice... Well as nice as Taffyta gets, but really nice! She even gave me this bracelet!" Vanellope said as she quickly showed Ralph her candy bracelet. "She said she made me one before Turbo took over! She said that he changed a lot of things in my castle and that I should change it back." She said quickly as her waver her arms around as she spoke. "Ok Calm down!" Ralph said as he gently grabbed her hands. "Calm down and breath, whats so wrong with that? Isn't that what you want?" He asked her confused.

Vanellope took a moment to catch her breath before she nodded slowly. "Yes... It is but... There is a huge problem." She said as she played with her fingernails.

Ralph blinked a couple of times before he leaned closer. "And that is...?" He asked slowly. "Do you remember when everyone got their memories back?" She asked him and he instantly nodded. "Well yeah." He said with a laugh. "I didn't" She said as she bit her lower lip.

It took Ralph a moment before her words sunk in. "You didn't?" He asked her worriedly. Vanellope nodded. "So you Don't remember anything before Turbo?" He asked her. Vanellope nodded again. "I don't remember anything." She said with a sad sigh. "All I remember is the fifteen years... Of... Bullying." She said as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

She couldn't help that her bottom lip quiver slightly as her tears threatened to fall. "Why didn't you say anything?" He asked her gently. "Because I thought maybe mine just needed a bit of time before they came back..." She said quietly. "I was wrong... And my Glitching... I didn't choose to keep it... It just didn't go away..." She said as she took a breath. "I think Turbo permanently damage me..." Her voice was barely a whisper now. She buried her face into her knees as Ralph's eyes widened slightly. "Kid..." He said as he gently patted her shoulder. "I don't know what to do Ralph... I can't tell anyone else... They already feel bad enough as it is... They won't stop apologizing..." She said as she slowly raised her head.

Vanellope looked up at Ralph with tear filled eyes. "Fifteen years... It is hard for me, but I think it is just as hard for everyone else too... Knowing what they did to me... What do I do?" She asked Ralph.

Ralph thought for a moment. "I thought about coming to see you and Felix, and maybe getting Felix to hit me over the head with his Hammer." She told him as she wiped her tears away on her sleeve.

Ralph froze and wiggled one of his huge fingers at her. "You know what kid... That is not a bad idea..." He said with a chuckle. "I think its worth a shot." He said with a smile. Vanellope looked up at him with a hopeful look on her face. "Felix once broke his leg by tripping over some bricks." Ralph told her as he rubbed his chin. "I watched him pull out his hammer and whack his leg, and poof! Fixed." Ralph said with a smile. "Really?" Vanellope said as she looked up at him. "Oh yeah." Ralph said with a nod. "If I had known that you were in the hospital I would have brought him with me." Ralph said with a nod. "I don't know if his hammer would have helped a concussion, or if it will help get your memories back but I think it is worth a shot." Ralph said as he clapped his hands together.

Vanellope looked down at her hands as her brow furrowed before she looked back up at him. "What if it doesn't work?" She asked him. "What do I do then? I can't keep lying to everyone, I feel like I should be in one of your bad guy meetings." She said as she bit her lower lip.

Ralph laughed. "You are anything but a bad guy Vanellope." He said gently. "I mean look at yourself. You are so worried about not making the people who tormented you for fifteen whole years feel bad by telling them that you can't remember what it was like before Turbo." He said with a nod. "I guess..." Vanellope Muttered as she looked down at the blue blanket that was on her bed. His words didn't help her feel any better but what he said was true non the less.

"But what if it doesn't." She asked again. Ralph shrugged. "Then we figure out what is wrong and we fix it." He said as he looked down at her.

Vanellope leaned back into her marshmallow pillows with a sigh. He made it sound so easy.

"So..." Ralph said as he clapped his hands together. "Are you going to tell me how Vanellope, the best racer in the world managed to drive off the road and hurt herself?" Ralph asked with a laugh.

Vanellope giggled but then she gritted her teeth together. Should she tell him? Or would he think that she was crazy...? She closed her eyes for a second before she decided. "You know what..? I don't remember." She said with a innocent laugh and a shrug. "Ah!" Ralph said as he shook his head. "I should have guessed that." He said as she poked her side with one of his fingers. "Usually happens when you hit you're head." He said as Vanellope giggled and shielded her sides from any more pokes.

"Well..." He said as he slowly stood. "I'm gonna go, you should rest." He said as he made his way towards the door. "Next time I come I will bring Felix and we will try." He said with a smile and a wink. "Thanks Ralph." She said with a smile. "Oh! And don't tell anyone!" She said quickly. "Pinky promise." He said with a laugh as he raised his huge pinky and wiggled it. "Good." Vanellope said before she laid back down.

When Ralph was gone she looked out the window once more as a thought suddenly hit her. She hoped that the figure that she kept on seeing was just because of the stress of keeping her secret.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone. It has been brought to my attention that I left out a very important detail from my story. I will throw it in there I promise... Or maybe I did that on purpose. :O But... (Just so I don't drive you crazy...) One of the reasons that Vanellope's injuries never 'Regenerated' Is because she never crossed the finish line before the race ended.

She drove off the road and never got back into her Kart, because of this she was no longer in the race. She never crossed the finish line so her injuries remained on her whereas her Kart would regenerate at the end of the race or maybe she would even fix it herself with the help of a magic hammer.

Now keep in mind Vanellope is still having some problems because of her glitching... 'Hint hint...' So some things may contribute to that... And there are still some trouble makers running loose.

If you want give me some input or ideas you would like to see.

Haha now enough with my Little splurge of words.

Enjoy the chapter. :)

* * *

Vanellope stayed in her castle the next day, she was not on the roster board and Bill was determined not to take his eyes off her... So she locked herself in her room away from his line of vision. Her head was still hurting and having a little green sour candy watching her every move was not helping at all.

If only she had managed to crawl over the finish line than maybe all of her injuries would not have remained. They would have simply regenerated like they were supposed to... She sighed as she remembered her Kart upside down. Was it not supposed to regenerate back onto the road? She wondered as she rubbed her chin.

She shook her head and continued to gaze out her window. She found herself sitting in her chair again as she thought about what happened during the race. She drove off the road, hit some lollypop trees, flipped her kart... But didn't regenerate back onto the road. She whacked her forehead lightly in frustration. She had only driven off the road once before and it only took a few seconds for her to regenerate...

Then she remembered the dark figure. She slowly raised her head as she bit her lower lip. Sometime through out the night she managed to convince herself that her mind made the whole thing up because of her concussion... But now she was rethinking it. Maybe there really was a figure and maybe there was something going on in Sugar Rush.

She leaned her head against the back of her chair for a few seconds before she turned. She raised an eyebrow as she remembered the night she and Taffyta hung out, Then an idea popped into her head that made a smile spread across her face.

* * *

Taffyta fired her sweet seekers at the three Karts that were in front of her. It turns out that was all she needed to remain out in front of everyone. It was too easy. Without Vanellope there she actually found the race quite boring. Sure every now and then someone would get lucky and manage to pass her, but it only took Taffyta a few seconds to reclaim first place.

It made her wonder just how she managed to race without Vanellope as competition. Then she mentally smacked herself when she remembered Turbo... The maniac racer who never let anyone pass him. Not once did he ever lose a race. Of course now she knew why, he reprogrammed their entire game to his liking. And his liking was him always winning, he had to be the best.

She wondered just how she did not see that something was wrong when he was in control. Everything was right in front of her face and still she had not seen it. It was like there was a sheet over everyone's heads and it took Vanellope lifting it before anyone realized what had happened.

Taffyta was happy that Vanellope was back on top. Everything was a lot happier... Although it was plain to see that it would take some time for things to go back to the way they were before Turbo... Taffyta blinked and took a breath. Their beloved leaded had so much healing to do before everything would be right. Vanellope didn't want to admit it but Taffyta was not blind, nor were the others. Everyone could see that Vanellope was not yet comfortable being around the other racers.

Yesterday had been an Example. Vanellope didn't want to see anyone when she was in the candy hospital... Taffyta expected Vanellope to show up to the races... To at least watch. Given her condition that Sour Bill had described to them it sounded like Vanellope would not be racing for a couple of days. She was surprised when she did not see Vanellope anywhere. She was actually quite worried. Taffyta had spent at least twenty minutes looking for their little green racer before the races started, even the other racers joined in. Eventually they had to give up as the gamers began to pour their quarters into Sugar Rush. Vanellope loved racing, it would take something really serious to keep her away.

Taffyta gripped her steering wheel and gritted her teeth as she pressed her pedal to the floor harder.

This was the last race of the day, it was followed by the roster race. But Taffyta had other plans that involved her hunting down a certain princess and questioning her as to why she did not even bother to tell them why she did not come down to the track to watch them race.

She was now coming up on the finish. The few seconds that it took her to reach and to cross that line had to be the longest seconds of her life.

As soon as she was able she rushed back to her Kart, jumped in and was about to rush towards Vanellope's castle. Although she did not even set her foot onto the gas before the sounds of sirens filled her ears. "What...?" She muttered as she looked around confused.

She turned towards Candlehead who was looking around with a look of confusion on her own face as well. "What's going on?" Candlehead said as she turned towards the finish line she had recently crossed. "Don't know." Taffyta said with a shrug.

"Do not be Alarmed racers." A voice said over the speaker. "Remain calm and try to stay out of the way of the medics." The voice instructed.

Taffyta drove her Kart to the side of the track and the other racers followed her example. Soon enough an ambulance driven by a marshmallow rushed by them and onto the track they had just been on.

Taffyta watched them for a few seconds with a brow furrowed. "Two racers... In two days?" She heard a fan say behind her. She turned slightly towards the stands as the gossip continued. "Somethings... Just not right..." They muttered to their friend. "Maybe they just need to learn how to drive again? I mean Turbo had been here for fifteen years, and the racers have been hypnotized for that long... So maybe their skills are a little rusty..." They muttered back. "Maybe... But come on... I would expect that of Vanellope because that girl had not so much as touched a Kart in fifteen years... So for her it was bound to happen... But another racer?" Taffyta turned away before she could hear anymore useless gossip. She did not see the use of getting herself worked up over it.

She pulled out a lollypop from her pocket and stuck it in her mouth a few seconds before the ambulance was driving back towards them. She watched as the vehicle drove by, followed by another candy themed vehicle that had a Kart being towed behind it.

Taffyta's lollypop nearly fell out of her mouth as her jaw dropped. What she saw made her stomach twist. The vehicle that was being towed was Rancis's Kart. It was almost unrecognizable.

It seemed like that other Racer's had the same reaction as Taffyta. But Taffyta snapped out of her trance as she realized something. "His Kart..." She breathed as she walked out onto the track to watch them drive away. "Taffyta?" She heard the small voice of Candlehead say from behind her. "Are you ok?" She asked. "His Kart." Taffyta said again. "It didn't regenerate." She said as she pulled her Lollypop out of her mouth and drop it onto the ground.

Candlehead was looking at her confused as Taffyta turned to look at her. "His Kart is supposed to Regenerate!" Taffyta said before she rushed to her Kart. "Where are you going?" Candlehead said as Taffyta jumped into her Kart. "I need to check something." Was all Taffyta would say before she sped off towards the castle.

How did she not realize this before? How did no one realize it!? The Karts are supposed to Regenerate! As are the racers!

"Come on, Come on Faster!" Taffyta chanted as she drove up to the castle.

The Oreo guards watched her in confusion as she drove right by the front doors and around the side. She skidded to a halt leaving a cloud of cocoa in the air before she jumped out in front of Vanellope's garage. "Taffyta?" A Oreo guard said as he made his way towards her from his post. "Is something wrong?" He asked. "Open the Garage, I need to see something." Taffyta said as she pulled her helmet off and threw it into her Kart. "I'm sorry, but this I cannot do without Vanellope's permission." The guard said before he tapped the butt of his spear onto the ground. "Just do it!" Taffyta said as she stomped her foot onto the ground. "If I could I would have brought Vanellope with me, but I am sure she needs her rest." Taffyta said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "It is very important, you can watch me if you want, I only need to see something." She said with a quick nod.

The guard thought for a moment before he sighed. "Very well, but you will not leave my sight." He said before he opened the garage. Taffyta sighed in relief. Truthfully, she didn't really think that he was going to let her in.

When the door was open Taffyta rushed in and what she saw confirmed her worries.

Vanellope's Kart, well... What was supposed to be Vanellope's Kart sat in the middle of the floor. It was a complete mess from the accident Vanellope had the day before. "It didn't regenerate..." Taffyta breathed in worry as she took a few steps back. Even if Vanellope had been in racing condition she would have needed an entirely new Kart. This one was almost beyond repair. "That is all." Taffyta said as she walked backwards out of the garage before she hopped back into her Kart and made her way to the front of the castle.

With her mind full of worries Taffyta still had one task that she just had to do.

She burst through the front doors and marched through the throne room. The guards watched her confused.

Taffyta had an unreadable expression on her face. With everything that had happened she found herself just plain exhausted. Vanellope getting injured yesterday and now Rancis... Something was very wrong. Their Karts didn't regenerate, Why didn't they regenerate?

Taffyta stood in front of Vanellope's room for a few seconds before she leaned her forehead against the door. 'Maybe I should just let her rest...' Taffyta thought to herself as she bit her lower lip.

She slowly pulled away from the door and began to walk away. But she didn't make it too far before she walked back to the door and knocked. She mentally kicked herself. She knew that the green racer probably was not in any condition to hang out but Taffyta couldn't help it. Last time she had seen Vanellope was just before the ambulance that looked kinda like a box of cookies took her away.

Then when she tried to go see her at the Candy Hospital the doctor's and Nurses ushered Taffyta away, saying that Vanellope didn't want to see anyone.

Taffyta's stomach twisted.

She had left the hospital and returned to her Kart. She had been just about to drive away when her eyes caught sight of a large man who was not from Sugar Rush. Ralph, Vanellope's best friend. She was not surprised when the man didn't come back out. Of course Vanellope would not turn Ralph away...

Taffyta could not help but feel slightly jealous at their friendship. He had taken Taffyta's place as Vanellope's best friend.

Suddenly Taffyta felt absolutely terrible, guilty, and sad. She looked down at her hands as she took a breath. Ralph was her friend when no one else would be... Not even Taffyta.

He helped Vanellope fix Sugar Rush, helped against Turbo. And the moment when all hope was lost... Taffyta remembered running, trying to escape Sugar Rush before the Cybugs killed everything. She ran to the entrance of Sugar Rush and stopped for just a moment.

She had watched as Ralph fought desperately in an attempt to get Vanellope out of the game. But sadly with Vanellope being a glitch... And now that they know what turbo did to her code... At the time Vanellope could not leave. The game put up a barrier the moment Ralph tried to charge out. He went through but Vanellope had been thrown back. He tried again, and again. With every try was another miserable failure.

'It's ok Ralph... Just go... Go without me...' Those words echoed though Taffyta's head.

She never went back to try and help... No... Taffyta just turned and kept running until she reached game central station.

"Taffyta?"

Taffya shook her head and looked up to find Vanellope standing in the door with a worried expression on her face. "Are you ok?" She said as she leaned in closer as she looked at Taffyta in search of anything that was out of place. Taffyta pushed her back lightly. "I'm fine, and I should be asking you that!" Taffyta said as she crossed her arms over her chest. How long had Vanellope been standing there? She wondered to herself.

Vanellope shrugged after she stuck her tongue out at the pink racer. Taffyta shook her head as she poked Vanellope in the chest. "You have some explaining to do!" Taffyta said as she glared at the slightly shorter girl. "Huh?" Vanellope said as she noticed the sudden change in mood. "You didn't let anyone come and see you in the hospital, and then you don't show up at the track!" Taffyta said as she poked her again. Vanellope glitched slightly as Taffyta's finger made contact. That was all it took for Taffyta to stop her advance, that and the look on Vanellope's face.

Taffyta almost apologized but bit down on her tongue. She needed to know why Vanellope didn't want to see anyone. "Well?" Taffyta said after a few seconds of silence. Vanellope shrugged again and turned away from Taffyta to walk into her room. "Well honestly." She began. "I didn't want to go down to the track today because Sour Bill won't take his eyes off me and he has the guards watching my every move. So I just stayed here." She said as she turned around to face Taffyta. "Everyone is just to paranoid for me." She said as she flopped down on to her bed. "And my little accident didn't really help..." Vanellope muttered. Taffyta nodded slowly as she walked into Vanellope's room. She knew that Vanellope was leaving something out. Even before Turbo Taffyta could always read Vanellope as if she were an open book. "Sour Bill actually said that he wants someone to be with me at all times when I leave the castle." She said with a pout. "I don't need a baby sitter!" Vanellope muttered.

Taffyta turned around to shut the door and lock it before she turned to face Vanellope. But her eyes went past Vanellope and to the window.

Her eyes went wide when she recognized a table and a matching chair like Vanellope's. "You found them." Taffyta said with a soft chuckle as she made her way over to the window.

Vanellope slowly sat up and watched as Taffyta ran her hand over the surface of the small table. "Just like old times." Taffyta laughed as she turned to Vanellope. All Vanellope could do was laugh nervously. "No wait!" Taffyta yelled as she held her hands up.

Vanellope watched her in confusion. Taffyta made her way over to Vanellope and grabbed the girl's hands. Vanellope yelped in surprise as Taffyta basically dragged her back over to the table and chairs and sat her down before she sat down in her own chair. "That's better." Taffyta said with a laugh.

There was a moment of silence as Taffyta stared out the window. "So, are you going to tell me the real reason why you have been avoiding everyone?" Taffyta asked Vanellope as she turned to look at her. Taffyta held her breath for a second. That moment had been the first time since she had arrived when she really saw the bruises and cuts that littered Vanellope's face. Sure they looked like they were healing pretty fast but Taffyta could not help but to worry. "What do you mean?" Vanellope said nervously. "Don't you dare play dumb Glitch." Taffyta said as she shook her head. "I have noticed and so has everyone else, you avoid us, even before you accident." Taffyta's voice went slightly quieter.

Vanellope shook her head and looked down at her hands. "I don't know what you are talking about." Vanellope said as she felt the annoying pain of her headache returning. She also glitched for a spit second before she head Taffyta's voice again. Obviously Vanellope was trying to sweep everything under the rug. Taffyta was not going to have it. She sighed and sat back in her chair before she spoke. "Fifteen years, Vanellope." Taffyta said in a tired voice. "Fifteen years we bullied you... And then it all ended the moment you crossed the finish line. As much as you want to, as much as we all want to, you can't just pretend it never happened, like it all went away along with Turbo." Taffyta said as she looked over at Vanellope.

Taffyta went quiet for a few seconds. She didn't know why. Maybe she was waiting to hear if Vanellope had anything to say, or maybe to give herself the chance to choose whether or not she was going to run away like a coward and not try and fix what she had broke so long ago.

Taffyta sighed again as she leaned back and lightly hit her head against the back of the chair. "I guess what I am trying to say is..." She took a breath. "As much as you don't want to hear it, no matter how big of headache I am probably giving you right now... I am sorry." Taffyta said gently as she looked down at her hands. "I am sorry for everything." She continued on as Vanellope watched her. "I am sorry for pushing you around, I am sorry for bullying you, I am sorry for hurting you for so long... I'm sorry for not standing by you're side like a best friend is supposed to do... And I am sorry for forgetting who I really was... And who you really were. But most of all..." Taffyta said as she looked up to see Vanellope's bruised face looking like she was close to tears. Taffyta wondered if she herself looked like she was going to cry too... If she had not already started. "I'm sorry for ruining our friendship... I know it will probably never be the same and I cannot ask you to forgive me, but you need to know that I am sorry." Taffyta finished as she bit her lower lip.

Silence filled the room. It felt as though it lasted a life time. "And for... What I think is the millionth time." Vanellope said with a weak chuckle. "I forgive you." Vanellope said as she wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her hoodie. Taffyta leaned against the arm of the chair that was closest to Vanellope. "But it is the first time you have heard it from me." Taffyta said truthfully.

Vanellope thought for a moment but then she realized that Taffyta was telling the truth. She looked over to Taffyta who was biting her lower lip. "I really am sorry." She said again.

Vanellope nodded. "And I'm sorry too... Because you are not the only one who forgot who they were. I did too." Vanellope said with a small smile. 'And I still don't.' Her mind said bitterly.

Taffyta smiled and breathed out as she sat back in her chair. "Now that, that has been said..." She chuckled. "Can we go back to the way things were... Like before Turbo?" Taffyta asked. "Um..." Vanellope said as she looked down at her hands. 'I need to tell her, I need to tell someone! This is killing me!' Her mind screamed in agony. "What is it?" Taffyta said instantly when she noticed Vanellope's hesitation. "You... Don't want to be friends anymore do you?" She asked suddenly hurt, but at the same time she felt like she was expecting it.

"No!" Vanellope squeaked in alarm. "I do! It's just..." She said as she ran her hands over her face in frustration. She needed to tell someone other than Ralph. Living in a game where no one knows her big secret... It was a huge burden to carry alone... Taffyta was her friend after all... Wasn't she? "Then what is it?" Taffyta said in a harsh tone. "I can take it Vanellope, with what I put you through... I deserve it." Taffyta spat.

Vanellope leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees as she buried her face into her hands. "I don't remember." Vanellope said in a quiet voice. So quiet Tafftya thought that she had heard her princess wrong. "... What?" Tafftya asked her confused as she leaned in closer to help her hear better. "I said I don't remember." Vanellope said a little louder. She did not raise her head.

Taffyta's mind began to race. "Don't remember?" Taffyta repeated. "Don't... Remember what?" She asked. Vanellope breathed in. "When everyone got their memories back... I didn't... I don't remember what it was like before Turbo." Vanellope said quietly.

The entire room went silent. Complete dead silence.

Vanellope didn't know how much time went by. When she slowly raised her head up she almost expected to find Taffyta's seat empty. She would not blame Taffyta for walking away. But instead she found Taffyta sitting there with a very worried and concern look on her face. "What do you mean you don't remember...?" Taffyta said gently when she saw Vanellope looking at her.

Vanellope shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know what went wrong... Ralph said when I crossed the finish line everything was supposed to be reset. Almost everything was." Vanellope pointed to her head. "But me." She said with a sigh as she slouched in her chair. "Look, I still glitch." She said as her glitched for a second. "Keeping this actually was not my choice." She finished with a sad sigh.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Taffyta asked her. Vanellope looked at her. "Everyone already feels bad enough as it is... I didn't want to make things worse." Vanellope said as she shook her head. "I don't know why I am like this... I tried to figure it out... I think when Turbo tried to delete me... He left me permanently damaged..." Vanellope said as she sat up. "Isn't there something we can do?" Taffyta asked as she jumped up from her seat. Her friend needed her and this time she was going to stick by Vanellope's side. Vanellope looked at her for a moment. "Fix it Felix is going to come and see me sometime, we are going to see if his magic hammer can help." Vanellope explained to her.

Taffyta nodded. She heard about his hammer, it could apparently fix anything it hits. "Ok." Taffyta said with a nod. "Just one thing." Tafftya said as she crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly. "What is it?" Vanellope said as she tilted her head slightly. "I want to be there." Taffyta said determined.

Vanellope chuckled when she realized what Taffyta was trying to do. "Hey!" Taffyta cried out as she stomped her foot on the ground. "It's not funny! I am serious!" She said as she took a few steps towards Vanellope, she stopped when she was standing right in front of her. "This time, I will be here." Taffyta said with a smile. "That is a promise." She finished just before there was a rapid knock on Vanellope's door.

Vanellope stood and looked at the door in confusion. "Princess! It is urgent!" Bill's panicked voice called. "One moment." Vanellope called just before she was about to make her way over to the door. But she stopped and looked at Taffyta with pleading eyes. "Taffyta, Don't tell anyone! Please." She whispered harshly. Taffyta blinked a couple of times before she smiled and grabbed Vanellope's hand, a second later their pinkies were interlocked. "Pinky promise." She said with a nod.


End file.
